by





This item is being sold by an Individual Seller and will not ship from the Online Bookstore's warehouse. The Seller must confirm the order within two business days. If the Seller refuses to sell or fails to confirm within this time frame, then the order is cancelled.
Please be sure to read the Description offered by the Seller.
Revised and updated!
Handbook for Writing Proposals gives proven techniques and practical advice for how to write winning business proposals, guiding readers through the entire proposal process, from initial contact witch potential clients to presenting a successful proposal.
Now with new information on budgeting and cost analysis, section on establishing credibility with clients, and new worksheets and checklists.
About the Book
Since 1995,Handbook for Writing Proposals(28,000 sold!) has helped thousands of professionals write and develop winning business proposals, offering readers a step-by-step guide from analyzing a Request for Proposal (RFP) to presenting the proposal and sealing the deal.
The huge changes taking place in the business world today offer an excellent opportunity to revise this textbook. More people than ever are launching their own businesses, recognizing that their former jobs may be gone for good. Current businesses are scrambling to retain old clients or acquire new ones. As a result, the competition for clients is fierce, and any company that knows how to respond to RFPs and develop a winning proposal is going to have a decided advantage.
Handbook for Writing Proposals can be their best guide in this process, helping them to navigate the confusing waters of how to understand what an RFP is asking for, how to build credibility with clients, how to design a winning program, and how to write and present a proposal that highlights how they will satisfy a client's needs.
The Handbook for Writing Proposals is still remarkably relevant given its original publication date in 1995. However, it does need some updating. In particular, the budgeting and cost information needs to be expanded, greater emphasis placed on establishing a firm's credibility, and more information provided on building value between the client and responding firm. A value-added component includes downloable forms and checklists that readers can use to begin their proposal-writing process.
''This book guides you through the process of creating the best impression of your sweat equity to your customer. Whether you need to polish up and improve every aspect of the proposal or just certain elements, this book will fill the need. Remember, the economics of gain only occur when a customer feels you’ve fulfilled a need and created value.'' --Paul V. Baron, President, In-Store Bakery Division, The Quarter Oats Company
Prior to AT&T, Mr. Hamper worked at Bell Laboratories where he developed several intricate financial models and applications. He wrote testimonies to the Illinois Commerce Commission, Federal Communication Commission, and the Justice Department. Mr. Hamper is president of his own consulting firm, which specializes in strategic planning, and has consulted for over 18 years to Fortune 500 and mid-sized corporations. He has also served as a court-appointed provisional board of director to oversee restructuring of firms on the verge of bankruptcy.
L. Sue Baugh is an independent business writer who has developed, edited, or contributed to numerous texts in marketing, finance, economics, management, risk management, human resources, and business communications for various clients, including Scott Foresman, Longman Publishing, Rand McNally, Harlan Davidson, Prentice Hall, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, National Restaurant Association, and American College of Emergency Physicians.
Ms. Baugh worked for six years as senior editor at Booz, Allen & Hamilton, Inc., one of the world's largest management consultant firms. As part of the firm's Report Production department, she played an integral role in developing proposals to respond to bids from industry, government, and nonprofit associations.
Ms. Baugh also has taught in-house classes in proposal and report writing to new consultants, preparing them for the challenges of the management consultant field. In addition, she has helped native and non-native English speakers learn the basics of international business English to improve their written communications.
Introduction | p. v |
Where to Begin | p. 1 |
Opportunities and Pitfalls | p. 3 |
Types of Proposals | p. 4 |
Four Key Questions | p. 6 |
Your Planning Process | p. 6 |
Locating New Business | p. 10 |
Which Jobs to Target | p. 13 |
When Not to Write a Proposal | p. 15 |
Characteristics of a Winning Proposal | p. 16 |
9-Step Proposal Process: An Overview | p. 19 |
9-Step Proposal Preparation and Writing Process | p. 22 |
Bid/No-Bid Analysis and Decision | p. 24 |
The Proposal Team | p. 24 |
RFP Analysis | p. 24 |
Preparation Schedule | p. 24 |
Assignment of Tasks | p. 25 |
Development of Program Design | p. 26 |
Development of Front Matter and Executive Summary | p. 26 |
Producing the Proposal | p. 27 |
Client Presentation | p. 28 |
Selecting the Bid and Choosing the Proposal Team | p. 31 |
Bid/No-Bid Analysis and Decision | p. 33 |
The Proposal Team | p. 39 |
Where to Look for Market Information | p. 44 |
Finding Your Unique Selling Point | p. 53 |
Detailed RFP Analysis and Your USP | p. 55 |
Preparation Schedule | p. 70 |
Assignment of Tasks | p. 70 |
Developing Your Program Design | p. 77 |
Program Design-The Heart of Your Proposal | p. 79 |
Your Compliance with the RFP | p. 80 |
Three Parts of the Program Design | p. 81 |
Appendixes in a Proposal | p. 105 |
Summary of a Winning Program Design | p. 106 |
Writing the Front Matter and Executive Summary | p. 109 |
Front Matter and Executive Summary | p. 111 |
The Front Matter | p. 111 |
The Executive Summary | p. 120 |
Common Errors | p. 130 |
Executive Summary Checklist | p. 131 |
Producing Your Proposal | p. 133 |
Proposal Production | p. 134 |
Criteria for Using Graphics instead of Words | p. 137 |
Using Tables and Graphics Effectively | p. 139 |
Designing Tables and Graphics | p. 144 |
Final Checklist | p. 153 |
Making Client Presentations | p. 155 |
Presenting the Proposal to the Client | p. 156 |
Planning Steps | p. 157 |
Organizing the Presentation | p. 161 |
Practicing the Presentation | p. 165 |
Survival Tips | p. 169 |
Checklist for Client Presentations | p. 173 |
Appendixes | |
Sample Executive Summary | p. 175 |
Sample Proposal | p. 181 |
Sample Résumé Boilerplates | p. 201 |
Brief Guide to International Business English | p. 215 |
Frequently Confused Words | p. 229 |
Frequently Misspelled Words | p. 237 |
Index | p. 243 |
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved. |
An electronic version of this book is available through VitalSource.
This book is viewable on PC, Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and most smartphones.
By purchasing, you will be able to view this book online, as well as download it, for the chosen number of days.
A downloadable version of this book is available through the eCampus Reader or compatible Adobe readers.
Applications are available on iOS, Android, PC, Mac, and Windows Mobile platforms.
Please view the compatibility matrix prior to purchase.